Method of removing cardboard packaging from a packed food product

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a method of removing a cardboard packaging from a packed food product, wherein the cardboard packaging comprises a base layer, a top layer and a side wall arrangement; and wherein the top layer is provided at at least three sides with folding flaps which are each folded along a folding edge onto corresponding sides of the side wall arrangement and are adhesively bonded thereto at a respective at least one adhesion point. The folding flaps are each severed between the folding edge and the adhesion point in order thus to release the top layer from the side wall arrangement at the corresponding sides. The released top layer is folded open or removed to create a removal opening for the packed food product. The food product is removed from the cardboard packaging through the removal opening.

The present invention relates to a method of removing cardboard packaging from a food product, in particular from a food product of block shape, wherein the cardboard packaging comprises a base layer and a top layer, which are in particular each formed as substantially rectangular, and a side wall arrangement which is formed by closed side walls and/or by flaps, and wherein the top layer is provided at at least three sides with folding flaps which are each folded along a folding edge onto corresponding sides of the side wall arrangement and are adhesively bonded thereto at a respective at least one adhesion point.

There are various application situations in the industrial processing of food products in which an automated carton removal or “deboxing” is desired. For example, for maturing, block-shaped cheddar cheese is welded in film and is packaged in cardboard packaging. The cheddar blocks have to be unpacked from the cardboard packaging before a further processing and division into portions of commercial size. This can in principle take place by severing or cutting open the cardboard packaging, for example by means of one or more cutting blades. Care must be taken when severing that the corresponding cardboard layers are severed, in particular cut through, reliably and completely. It is possible due to unavoidable tolerances of the cardboard thickness that the cutting blade cuts into the material located beneath the cardboard layer to be cut through. The damage hereby caused to further packaging layers or even to the food product itself is undesirable.

It is an object of the invention to provide a method of removing a cardboard packaging from a food product in which damage to packaging components not to be severed and/or to the food product are reliably avoided.

The object is satisfied by a method of removing a cardboard packaging from a food product, which is in particular of block shape, wherein the cardboard packaging comprises a base layer and a top layer, which are in particular formed as substantially rectangular, and a side wall arrangement which is formed by closed side walls and/or by flaps; and wherein the top layer is provided at at least three sides with folding flaps which are each folded along a folding edge onto corresponding sides of the side wall arrangement and are adhesively bonded thereto at at least one respective adhesion point, wherein the method comprises the steps:

-   -   severing the folding flaps in each case between the folding edge         and the adhesive point in order thus to release the top layer         from the side wall arrangement at the corresponding sides;     -   folding open or removing the released top layer to create a         removal opening for the packed food product; and     -   removing the food product from the cardboard packaging through         the removal opening.

Provision is thus made in accordance with the invention that the folding flaps are each severed between the folding edge and the adhesion point in order thus to release the top layer from the side wall arrangement at the corresponding sides. Provision is furthermore made that the released top layer is folded open or removed to create a removal opening for the food product and that the food product is removed from the cardboard packaging through the removal opening. Those folding flaps are therefore severed which are folded onto the side wall arrangement. On the severing, the side wall arrangement thus forms an intermediate layer or buffer layer which protects the food product or an additional packaging component such as a stiffening insert from damage by the severing means, that is e.g. the cutting blade. If the cutting blade used for cutting through the folding flaps cuts more deeply than would correspond to the thickness of the folding flap, it penetrates into a cardboard layer of the side wall arrangement or into an intermediate space formed between two cardboard layers (e.g. flaps) of the side wall arrangement without causing any further damage. The release of the top layer is generally sufficient to provide a sufficiently large removal opening for the food product. It must be pointed out here that the removal of the food product from the cardboard packaging through the removal opening can also take place by pulling the cardboard packaging off the food product.

Further developments of the invention can be seen from the dependent claims, the description and the enclosed drawings.

The folding flaps are preferably each severed along a separating line or separating curve which is spaced apart both from the folding edge and from the adhesion point along its total extent. In other words, it is preferred to avoid a contact of the folding edge or of the adhesion point with the severing or cutting means. It is namely favorable for a reliable release of the top layer from the side wall arrangement in the region of the respective folding flap if no severing takes place either into the folding edge or into the adhesion point.

An embodiment of the invention provides that respective folding flaps are only severed at three sides of the top layer while the top layer is left in a state connected to the corresponding side of the side wall arrangement at the remaining side, with the top layer released at three sides being folded open along the remaining side. This configuration is based on the recognition that it is not necessary to sever the cardboard packaging into separate parts to unpack the food product. It is rather sufficient only to fold the top layer open. With such a procedure, one severing step is saved with respect to a customary “severing all around”, In addition, the cardboard packaging can be removed as a whole, i.e. as a single piece, which is favorable from a technical process aspect.

The top layer can be released from the side wall arrangement at a long side and at two opposite transverse sides which are shorter than the long side. The folding open can then take place in a simple manner at the folding edge of the other long side.

In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, the folding flaps are each severed at least 15 mm, and preferably at least 25 mm, remote from the folding edge. The web which is left at the top layer in this manner, which is at least 15 mm wide and which also remains in an at least partly folded state after a release from the side wall arrangement, provides the top layer with an increased stability overall. The increased stability is of advantage in the handling of the top layer, that is on an automatic folding open, for example. Provision can, however, generally also be made to sever the folding flaps substantially at the folding edge. It mostly proves advantageous in this case to grip the top layer with one or more suckers for the folding open.

The folding flaps are preferably severed at the same height. This is advantageous from a process management aspect. If required, a single cutting blade can be used for the severing or cutting through which is guided sequentially along three or four sides of the top layer.

A further embodiment of the invention provides that the folding flaps are cut through by means of a cutting blade arrangement, wherein either the cutting depth is selected to be as large as a nominal thickness of the respective folding flap or the cutting depth is selected to be larger than the nominal thickness of the respective folding flap by a safety margin, with the safety margin being smaller than a nominal thickness of the side wall arrangement. The cutting blade arrangement can in particular comprise one or more rotatingly driven circular blades. The provision of a safety margin for the cutting depth ensures a reliable severing of the folding flaps and avoids incomplete cuts which may disturb the whole process. Since the safety margin is smaller than the nominal thickness of the side wall arrangement, an unwanted cutting into the material located behind the side wall arrangement, for example into the food product or into a stiffening insert, is avoided.

The food product can be gripped by means of a suction gripper for removal from the cardboard packaging and can be pulled out of the cardboard packaging while the latter is fixed. The suction gripper can, for example, be configured as an end effector of a handling robot. In this manner, the food product cannot only be removed from the cardboard packaging using the suction gripper, but can also subsequently be supplied to a separate conveyor plant and/or to a processing station.

To fix the cardboard packaging, it can itself be held fast and/or a stiffening insert arranged in the cardboard packaging and gripping around the food product in the region of the side wall arrangement can be held fast, preferably by means of at least one holding bracket. The fixing of the cardboard packaging can therefore selectively take place by a direct or indirect holding fast. Provided that a stiffening insert such as an inlay is present, it is advantageous due to the comparatively high stability thereof to use it for the holding fast. A holding bracket is in this respect advantageous in comparison with a holding mandrel or the like in that damage to the stiffening insert is avoided. The direct or indirect holding fast of the cardboard packaging can in principle also take place by one or more holding-down devices, stamps or, for example, by a suction gripper led in from below or acting at the side.

Alternatively to a pulling of the food product out of the cardboard packaging, the cardboard packaging including the packed food product can also be turned about a horizontal axis after the folding open or removal of the released top layer in order subsequently to pull the cardboard packaging upward from the food product. If the food product is block-shaped cheddar cheese or the like, a holding fast of the product is not necessary as a rule due to its comparatively high weight.

A further embodiment of the invention provides that a stiffening insert arranged in the cardboard packaging and engaging around the food product in the region of the side wall arrangement is removed from the cardboard packaging through the removal opening and is supplied to a further processing, wherein the removal of the stiffening insert preferably takes place after the removal of the food product from the cardboard packaging. Such stiffening inserts or inlays are frequently laid around block-shaped cheese products to reinforce the corresponding cardboard packaging therewith so that they can be stacked better. The stiffening insert can be handled separately from the cardboard packaging due to the removal of the stiffening layer from the cardboard packaging through the removal opening.

The removed stiffening insert is preferably made available for a reuse. A reuse of the stiffening insert is only sensibly possible if it was not damaged in the course of the unpacking. Particularly this is, however, prevented in a procedure in accordance with the invention in that the side wall arrangement acts as a protective intermediate layer on the severing open of the packaging. This means that severing only takes place where a protective cardboard layer or at least a spacing from the food product or inlay is present beneath the folding flap to be severed.

For removal from the packaging cardboard, the stiffening insert can specifically be gripped by means of an object gripper arrangement and can be pulled out of the cardboard packaging while holding the latter fast.

The stiffening insert is in this respect preferably gripped in the region of an intermediate space of the side wall arrangement formed between two flaps. That is, an intermediate space present between two flaps of the side wall arrangement is used specifically for an easier gripping of the upper margin of the stiffening insert.

A specific embodiment provides that the stiffening insert configured as an open sleeve with four folded wall sections is gripped at at least two wall sections which preferably extend in parallel with one another. A canting or clamping of the stiffening insert in the cardboard packaging is avoided on the pulling out in this manner.

Provision can be made that the stiffening insert is first only gripped at two wall sections extending in parallel with one another and is pulled into a predefined handling position, wherein the stiffening insert is additionally gripped at at least one third wall section after reaching the handling position and is completely pulled out of the cardboard packaging at at least three wall sections. The third wall section can in this respect in particular extend at right angles to the other two wall sections. With a stiffening insert designed as an open sleeve, the wall sections adjacent to the open severing point tend to hang down and subsequently to cant if they are not directly gripped. It is, however, frequently only possible with difficulty to grip all wall sections of an open sleeve because the side wall arrangement in many cases only has suitable intermediate spaces at two oppositely disposed surfaces. The other two surface sections are typically continuous and their upper edges often end flush with the respective wall sections of the stiffening insert. A gripping of the stiffening insert without gripping the cardboard packaging is only possible with an increased effort in the region of such surface sections. However, as soon as the stiffening insert has been pulled at least a little out of the cardboard packaging, all the wall sections are accessible to a gripping tool. It is generally conceivable to use suckers for gripping the stiffening insert which e.g. engage at the inner sides of the insert after the removal of the product.

The stiffening insert is preferably additionally gripped at a third wall section which is not connected to the adjacent wall section at one side. A canting of the free ends of the stiffening insert designed as an open sleeve is thus reliably avoided.

The stiffening insert can be unfolded by means of the object gripper arrangement and can be placed down as a planar material layer. The object gripper arrangement anyway provided for removing the stiffening insert from the cardboard packaging can therefore additionally be used in an advantageous manner to handle the stiffening insert in the sense of a favorable further processing.

The present invention further relates to an apparatus for removing a cardboard packaging from a food product having a cutting blade arrangement for cutting through predefined layers of the cardboard packaging, having at least one handling apparatus for the controlled movement and/or handling of the cardboard packaging and, optionally, of the food product, and having a control device connected to the cutting blade arrangement and to the handling apparatus.

In accordance with the invention, the apparatus is configured for carrying out a method as previously described. Food products can be unpacked from cardboard packagings in a simple and reliable manner using such an apparatus without any damage occurring which is unwanted in this respect.

The invention will be described in the following purely by way of example with reference to the enclosed drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a cardboard packaging for a block-shaped food product in an unfolded raw state;

FIG. 2 is a perspective representation of the cardboard packaging in accordance with FIG. 1 in a folded and adhesively bonded end state;

FIG. 3 shows the cardboard packaging in accordance with FIG. 2 with a top layer open in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 4 is a lateral sectional view of the cardboard packaging shown in FIG. 3 including a product arranged therein and a cutting blade provided for cutting through a front folding flap;

FIG. 5 is a front sectional view of the cardboard packaging shown in FIG. 2 including a product arranged therein and a cutting blade provided for cutting through a lateral folding flap;

FIG. 6 is a part-sectional representation of a cardboard packaging which is held by a holding bracket for removing a product arranged therein; and

FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of the apparatus in accordance with the invention for removing cardboard packaging from block-shaped food products.

The cardboard layout 11 shown in FIG. 1 is provided for a folding and adhesive bonding to form a longitudinally parallelepiped cardboard packaging 12 such as is shown n FIG. 2 and comprises a first long-side insert 13, a base layer 14, a second long-side layer 15 and a top layer 16 which are connected to on another lying over one another in this order. As shown, two respective side flaps 17 project from the long-side layers 13, 15. Two base flaps 19 equally project from the base layer 14. They are shortened with respect to the side flaps 17. Two top flaps 21 at the transverse side furthermore project from the top layer 16. In addition, a top layer 22 at the long side projects from a long side of the top layer 16 and is also called an “industrial flap”, The cardboard layout 11 is cut to shape in a suitable form from a single cardboard sheet.

For packaging a food product 50 (FIGS. 4-7), e.g. a cheese block, the cardboard layout 11 is laid directly about the respective food product 50 and is folded along respective folding edges 25 to form the cardboard packaging 12 in accordance with FIG. 2. The base flaps 19 and the transverse-side top layers 21 are in this respect folded onto the side flaps 17 and are adhesively bonded to them at adhesion points 29. In an analog manner, the long-side top flap 22 is folded onto the first long-side insert 13 and is adhesively bonded thereto at an adhesion point 29.

To remove the cardboard packaging 12, for example as part of a desired further processing of a cheese block after maturing has taken place, the two transverse-side top layers 21 and the long-side top layer 22 are severed along respective separating lines 33 shown dashed in FIG. 2. The top layer 16 is in this manner released from the side wall arrangement 35 formed by the side flaps 17 and the two long-side layers 13, 15. In the following, the top layer 16 can, as shown in FIG. 3, be folded open along the folding edge 25 at the rear in the Figure. A removal opening 37 through which the food product 50 can be removed from the cardboard packaging 12 is created by the folding open of the top layer 16.

A stiffening layer 39, which is also called an inlay and which is arranged in the cardboard packaging 12 can be recognized in FIG. 3. This stiffening insert 39 is preferably produced from reinforced cardboard or wood and is designed here as an open sleeve. It contacts the side wall arrangement 35 at the inner side and thus laterally engages around the food product 50, The stiffening insert 39 specifically comprises four wall sections 40 a-d which are folded toward one another, which are connected to one another at three folding edges 41 and which are unconnected at a joint 42.

As can be seen from FIG. 2, the severing of the transverse-side top flaps 21 and of the long-side top flap 22 respectively takes place between the associated folding edge 25 and the corresponding adhesion point 29, The separating lines 33 lie at the same height in the embodiment shown and are approximately 30 mm remote from the respective folding edge 25.

Cutting blades 45 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 in the form of rotating circular blades are used for cutting through the transverse-side top layers 21 and the long-side top layer 22. Respective guide slides 46 (also called a blade shoe) are associated with the cutting blades 45 in a generally known manner. In accordance with the representations of FIGS. 4 and 5, the cutting depth is exactly as large as the nominal thickness of the cardboard layout 11 (FIG. 1). Such a cutting depth limitation is not suitable to ensure a reliable cutting through of the top flaps 21, 22 in many practical application situations due to unavoidable thickness tolerances. It is therefore preferred to select the cutting depth as larger by a safety margin than the nominal thickness of the cardboard layout 11, with this safety margin itself, however, being smaller than the nominal thickness of the cardboard layout 11, There is then admittedly typically a part scoring or start-cutting of the side wall arrangement 35, but this is unproblematic in that the total cardboard layout 11 is anyway discarded after the removal from the food product 50. However, due to the limitation of the safety margin to a value which is smaller than the nominal thickness of the cardboard layout 11, damage to the stiffening insert—and above all to the food product or to a film packaging surrounding the product—is avoided so that the insert 39 can be reused. This saves raw materials and additionally saves costs. It can be recognized in FIG. 5 that the side wall arrangement 35 is not continuous, but rather regionally forms an intermediate space 47 into which the respective cutting blade 45 optionally cuts. The intermediate space 47 is present—as can easily be seen in FIG. 3—between the side flaps 17 which are adhesively bonded to the folded-over flaps 19, 21. Due to the suitably selected safety margin, cutting admittedly takes place into the intermediate space 47, but not into the insert 39 or even into the product 50. This is also ensured in that the guide slide 46 is longer than the intermediate space 47.

FIG. 6 shows a holding bracket 49 which engages over the side wall arrangement 35 and the stiffening insert 39 at the upper margin and thus holds the cardboard packaging 12 fast overall to allow a removal of the product 50 from the cardboard packaging 12.

FIG. 7 shows in simplified form an apparatus 55 in accordance with the invention for the automatic removal of respective cardboard packagings 12 from correspondingly packed food products 50. The apparatus 50 comprises an arrangement of a plurality of product conveyors 56, 57 of which only two are shown by way of example. The product conveyors 56, 57 serve for the conveying of the food products 50 and of the cardboard packagings 12 along a working direction A. The apparatus 55 furthermore comprises handling apparatus which are not shown separately for the controlled movement of the respective conveyed objects. An arrangement of three cutting blades 45, which are movable—as shown by double arrows—along the cardboard packagings 12, is provided for cutting through the transverse-side top layers 21 and the long-side top layer 22 of each cardboard packaging 12. The top layer 16 in each cardboard packaging is released by means of these cutting blades 45 in the above-described manner at three sides from the side wall arrangement 35. The top layer 16 is then folded open for which purpose an arrangement of object grippers or object holders 61 is used. The food products 50 are then each gripped by means of a suction gripper 63 and are pulled out of the cardboard packaging 12 while fixing the latter. The fixing of the cardboard packaging 12 in this respect takes place as shown in FIG. 6 indirectly via the stiffening insert 39. The removed food products 50 are placed onto the product conveyor 57 and are supplied to a further processing or use.

After the removal of the food product 50 from the associated cardboard packaging 12, the associated stiffening insert 39 is likewise removed and placed onto the product conveyor 56. All the removed stiffening inserts 39 are supplied to a reuse on it. The removal of the stiffening inserts 39 from the cardboard packagings 27 is carried out by a further object gripper arrangement 65, wherein it can be seen from FIG. 7 that the stiffening inserts 39 are each gripped at oppositely disposed wall sections 40 a, 40 c in the region of the intermediate space 47 formed between two side flaps 17. If required, a further wall section 40 d can additionally be gripped. After the removal of the stiffening inserts 39, the cardboard packagings 12 are removed as a whole. The apparatus 55 is equipped with an electronic control device, which is, however, not shown in FIG. 7, for the control of the positioning of the different objects and of the time routines.

The reinforcement inserts 39 are not damaged during the above-described process. They therefore do not have to be discarded like the cardboard packagings 12 or recycled in a complex and/or expensive manner, but can in principle be reused directly. The apparatus shown in FIG. 7 can, however, also be used for unpacking food products 50 from cardboard packagings 12 in which no reinforcement inserts are present. The sections of the side wall arrangement 35 (the side layer 13 and the flaps 17) disposed beneath the flaps 21, 22 to be severed in any case prevent the cutting blades 45 from damaging usable additional packaging layers or even the food products 50 themselves.

REFERENCE NUMERAL LIST

-   11 cardboard layout -   12 cardboard packaging -   13 first long-side layer -   14 base layer -   15 second long-side layer -   16 top layer -   17 side flap -   19 base flap -   21 transverse-side top flap -   22 long-side top flap -   25 folding edge -   29 adhesion point -   33 separating line -   35 side wall arrangement -   37 removal opening -   39 stiffening insert -   40 a-d wall section -   41 folding edge -   42 joint -   45 cutting blade -   46 guide slide -   47 intermediate space -   49 holding bracket -   50 food product -   55 apparatus -   56 product conveyor -   57 product conveyor -   61 object holder -   63 suction gripper -   65 object gripper -   A working direction 

1. A method of removing a cardboard packaging from a food product, wherein the cardboard packaging comprises a base layer, a top layer, and a side wall arrangement which is formed by closed side walls and/or by flaps; and wherein the top layer is provided at at least three sides with folding flaps which are each folded along a folding edge onto corresponding sides of the side wall arrangement and are adhesively bonded thereto at at least one respective adhesion point, wherein the method comprises the steps: severing the folding flaps in each case between the folding edge and the adhesive point in order thus to release the top layer from the side wall arrangement at the corresponding sides; folding open or removing the released top layer to create a removal opening for the packed food product; and removing the food product from the cardboard packaging through the removal opening.
 2. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the folding flaps are each severed along a separating line or separating curve which is spaced apart both from the folding edge and from the adhesion point along its total extent.
 3. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein respective folding flaps are only severed at three sides of the top layer, while the top layer is left in a state connected to the corresponding side of the side wall arrangement at the remaining side, with the top layer released at three sides being folded open along the remaining side.
 4. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the top layer is released from the side wall arrangement at a long side and at two opposite transverse sides which are shorter than the long side.
 5. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the folding flaps are each severed at least 15 mm remote from the folding edge.
 6. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the folding flaps are severed at the same height.
 7. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the folding flaps are cut through by means of a cutting blade arrangement, with either the cutting depth being selected to be as large as a nominal thickness of the respective folding flap; or the cutting depth being selected to be larger by a safety margin than the nominal thickness of the respective folding flap, with the safety margin being smaller than a nominal thickness of the side wall arrangement.
 8. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the food product is gripped by means of a suction gripper for removal from the cardboard packaging and is pulled out of the cardboard packaging while the latter is fixed.
 9. The method in accordance with claim 8, wherein, to fix the cardboard packaging, it can itself be held fast and/or a stiffening insert arranged in the cardboard packaging and gripping around the food product in the region of the side wall arrangement is held fast.
 10. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cardboard packaging, including the packed food product, is turned about a horizontal axis after the folding open or removal of the released top layer and the cardboard packaging is pulled off from the food product.
 11. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein a stiffening insert arranged in the cardboard packaging and engaging around the food product in the region of the side wall arrangement is removed from the cardboard packaging through the removal opening and is supplied to a further processing.
 12. The method in accordance with claim 11, wherein the removal of the packaging insert takes place after the removal of the food product from the cardboard packaging.
 13. The method in accordance with claim 11, wherein the removed stiffening insert is made available for a reuse.
 14. The method in accordance with claim 11, wherein the stiffening insert is gripped by means of an object gripper arrangement for removing from the cardboard packaging and is pulled out of the cardboard packaging while holding the latter fast.
 15. The method in accordance with claim 14, wherein the stiffening insert is gripped in the region of an intermediate space of the side wall arrangement formed between two flaps.
 16. The method in accordance with claim 14, wherein the stiffening insert, which is designed as an open sleeve with four folded wall sections, is gripped at at least two wall sections.
 17. The method in accordance with claim 16, wherein the stiffening insert is first only gripped at two wall sections extending in parallel with one another and is pulled into a predefined handling position, with the stiffening insert additionally being gripped at a third wall section after reaching the handling position and being completely pulled out of the cardboard packaging at at least three wall sections.
 18. The method in accordance with claim 17, wherein the stiffening insert is additionally gripped at a third wall section which is not connected to the adjacent wall section at one side.
 19. The method in accordance with claim 14, wherein the stiffening insert is unfolded by means of the object gripper arrangement and is placed down as a planar material layer.
 20. An apparatus for removing a cardboard packaging from a packed food product, comprising a cutting blade arrangement for cutting through predefined layers of the cardboard packaging; at least one handling apparatus for the controlled movement and/or handling of the cardboard packaging and, optionally, of the food product; and a control device connected to the cutting blade arrangement and to the handling apparatus, wherein the apparatus is configured for carrying out a method in accordance with claim
 1. 